The Mini Bell This section showcases first semester Journalism 1 students
Mini Bell news Exit 1-6 Turns Sweet 16 By: Anne Jackson Photo by: Danni Hammontree If laughter is the best medicine then Exit 1-6 is a sure way to make anyone feel better. Exit 1-6 is an improvisational comedy troupe here at LHS. The troupe is made up of many talented LHS students of all grades. They work hard performing and competing to make others laugh. The troupe performs here in our Little Theater once a month and has some exciting shows coming up. This year’s alumni show was on December 20th, 2013 at 7:00pm. There was also the first ever Pre Alumni Show: Alumni Show. The old members did their own show on Thursday, December 19, at 7pm at ComedyCity in Westport. Improvisational comedy, or improv for short, is acting without any sets, scripts, or real lines. The whole story being created is reliant on body movements and what is being said. This can make it very difficult to convey the story, stay in character, and come up the next hilarious line. But the troupe members at our high school are practically professionals. Eleven members work incredibley hard, practicing every Tuesday, to provide all of us with laughter, make the audience happy, and “improve the lives of the students of Liberty Public Schools through improv,” Junior Noah Pozel said. They are a troupe in the same way as an army troop. They work together and support each other to make the team great. The troupe practices and trains just like the experts. They work hard to learn new techniques and sharpen their abilities. They even have a professional improv coach and comedian. Trish Berrong has been the coach
for about the past 13 years, and has enjoyed every minute watching the members grow in improv and friendship. She works hard to provide our school with the best improvisational comedy troupe around. “I herd them, mostly. And train them exactly the same way I train the professional players at ComedyCity, where I’m a player and Director of Education and Training,” Berrong said. Exit 1-6 even takes an annual trip to Chicago
to sightsee, go to improv shows and take classes. When it comes to entertainment, Exit 1-6 does not fall short of professional. Over the years the troupe has won many awards and titles. Sixteen years ago, when the troupe was started, they won the KC High School Improv League Championship in the spring of 1998 along with the League Spirit Award. Four members from the troupe, Aaron
Jones, Tyler Miller, Josh Anderson, and Noah Pozel, who make up improv group, The Green Beans, remain undefeated in “Seriously Playful’s Operation: Show!” Seriously Playful is a non-profit founded by former Exit 1-6 member, and current coach of Liberty North’s troupe, BBFP, Clay Ingram. About a dozen different high school improv troupes compete in shows on the weekends. There may be a slight rivalry between BBFP and Exit-16, but it’s all in fun and games. The two teams help each other out, and get along. But at the end of the day Exit 1-6 remains the reigning champions. Exit 1-6 has more members, experience, and has been around much longer. Many members continue improvisational comedy in some way after graduating. Even a few of our current members would like to carry on doing improv in the future. Hopefully we will see our seniors again next year when they have the annual alumni show. Exit 1-6 is celebrating its 16th year as a troupe. The troupe consists of: Josh Anderson, Haley Brown, Austin Cable, Hannah DiPoto, Haley Ferguson, Amy Hartgrove, Aaron Jones, Tyler Miller, Zoe Pixler, Noah Pozel, and Bridget Prewitt.